Refugee Council Japan (RCJ), which is consisted of NGOs such as " Refugee Assistance in Japan"(RAJA) and newly joined NGO's, was formally established on August 20, 2004, authorized by Tokyo Metropolitan Government. At present RCJ is consisted of 10 organizations such as International Social Service Japan, Amnesty International Japan, Catholic Tokyo International Center, Association for Supporting Refugees' Settlement in Kanagawa Prefecture, Support 21 Social Welfare Foundation, Japan Lawyers' Network for Refugees, Japan Association for Refugees, Catholic Commission of Japan for Migrants Refugees and People on the Move, Japan Evangelical Lutheran Association and Japan Legal Aid Association.


Umbrella Organization of Japanese NGOs for Refugees

RCJ is an umbrella organization of NGO group assisting Convention Refugees in Japan, applicants for Refugee Recognition and asylum seekers with Special Permission for Residence on humanitarian consideration. For example, RCJ sets up one-window of NGO for helping asylum seekers to find their chief complaint and to refer them to the most suitable organization. For an asylum seeker who has multiple problems, several organizations cooperate and assist them totally. Main activities of RCJ are as follows.

1. Individual Consultancy:
RCJ is the first window for the asylum seekers and refugees, accepts a compliant and introduces NGO that assists them actually. RCJ will collect and analyze the information of individual cases, compile the information of refugees and asylum seekers from database. As the result it can get a big picture view as the data of his /her real condition, will be used for public relations.

2. Public Relations:
With due considerations to individual privacy RCJ will conduct a public relation activity to the community to call people's attention towards the refugees as well as NGO's assisting them. RCJ also encourages the institutions concerned that have prospects of asking for the assistance in future such as local authorities to deepen understanding about refugees.

3. Promotion of Partnership
RCJ cooperates with various related institutions dealing with refugee support and tries to assist refugees smoothly.